title: Oral yeast flora of a Kalahari population.
abstract: During an epidemiological survey of 181 individuals working or residing in the Kalahari National Gemsbok Park, swabs were taken from the dorsal surfaces of their tongues to determine a possible association between oral yeasts and clinically observed oral lesions as well as other underlying conditions detectable by serum chemistry. Identification of yeasts was performed with a commercially available identification system, namely the ATB 32C (Montalieu, Vercieu). Yeasts were isolated from 30.4 per cent (n = 55) of individuals, of whom 43.6 per cent (n = 24) had only Candida albicans, 3.6 per cent (n = 2) had C. albicans together with other yeasts and 52.7 per cent (n = 29) had other yeasts. Many of these yeasts were not the commonly encountered clinical isolates. The results revealed a significant association (p < 0.02) between yeasts (n = 55) and low serum iron concentrations (n = 50). A highly significant (p < 0.001) association was also found between smoking (n = 112) and the presence of clinically detectable oral lesions, notably leukoplakia (n = 21) and mucosal atrophy. The findings of this study reveal that a significant association exists between the oral yeast flora and serum iron and glucose, as well as between smoking and oral mucosal lesions.
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral Microbiology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Pretoria.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Blignaut
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Raubenheimer
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: van Heerden
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Senekal
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Dreyer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology*; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology; D012424:Rural Population; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013019:South Africa; D015003:Yeasts / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007501:Iron